Enriching lives through participation in music
Music Therapy Services of West Music
Breaking Down Financial Barriers to Music Therapy
04/16/24
One of the biggest barriers for access to music therapy is funding. Music therapists in Iowa do not have licensure, and therefore are not covered by most insurances.
West Music has a long history of providing scholarships to those in need. One such recipient of West Music’s financial support is Kristina. Kristina says,
"My first experience with music therapy was when I was receiving hospice care in 2006. I was 29 years old. One of the things I recall doing in music therapy was putting some poetry I'd written to music. The therapist and I recorded these songs and we invited my mother to a session so she could hear them. I remember that session vividly - my mother was moved by the music, and I went to sit in her lap afterwards.
“When I was discharged from hospice services in 2009, West Music made it possible for my music therapy sessions to continue as the other supports I'd had through hospice went away and I adjusted to a new phase of life. We worked to find an instrument I can use recreationally - it's piano! I took lessons when I was young, and now the music therapist adapts songs I like in ways I can play them. Music therapy has helped me with transitions; I have a disease that is constantly changing and having something consistent and reliable has been very valuable. Music has always been meaningful to me. It can be so therapeutic!"
West Music is embarking on a new endeavor which aims to make music therapy services financially accessible to more local individuals like Kristina, and we’re inviting YOU to be part of it. Come alongside us in supporting music therapy services in our community through a tax-deductible donation that will fund scholarships for individuals in need. As an added bonus, your donation to the West Family Foundation (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) will be matched dollar-for-dollar so your gift will go even further!
One of the biggest hopes we have for the future of music therapy is greater acceptance and wider access. We advocate so that our government, our healthcare systems, and our insurance programs are more receptive to music therapy, resulting in an increased willingness to help with the funding of this incredible profession all of its benefits.
